Street fashion cred

Street fashion. It’s another one of those terms that seems to be making its way around the fashion scene these days. But what on earth is it?

After extensive (and by extensive I mean I typed ‘street fashion’ into Google) research, I’ve discovered that street fashion isn’t about trends, but rather about originality, design and the ability to apply style to whatever you wear, no matter where you got it.

There are a countless number of blogs and websites devoted to street fashion culture, and it seems that every major city is home to a photographer who is obsessed with capturing what people on the street are wearing.

I could literally spend hours trawling through these sites - it’s like people watching from the comfort of your couch.

Probably the most renowned site, is photo blog, The Sartorialist. Selected as one of Time Magazines top 100 Design Influences and created by Scott Schuman, it’s like the Louis Vuitton of street fashion blogs.

Schuman appears to have the world’s best job. He travels to London, Paris, Venice, Milan and New York and takes photos of people wearing clothes so beautiful it makes you want to cry.

And the photos themselves are so wonderfully taken, full of movement and colour.

The people always look so well put together, you can see the effort they made before they left the house.

Even when they’re casual, they still look so smart. It makes you want to pack your bags and move to Paris immediately.

Another wonderful site is Streetgeist.com. If you think that the Greeks aren’t a funky bunch, a visit to this site will soon change your mind.

Based in Athens, this site was created by a pair of friends who share a passion for photography, fashion and design.

The site features a collection of street portraits with a focus on individual style.

In fact, this photo blog has proved so successful that Streetgeist now has its own monthly photo column in the Greek edition of Esquire magazine.

Of course, an article about street fashion must include the Japanese, because Tokyo is a Mecca for incredible street fashions.

Style Arena has it all covered with countless galleries featuring the best looks from areas like Harajuku, Ginza and Shibuya.

Then of course, there’s Melbourne.

People are always banging on about the way we’re some kind of fashion metropolis; far more stylish than our trashy cousin Sydney.

Apparently, here in Melbourne we know what fashion is. Which is interesting, because quite frankly I can’t make any sense of our street fashion culture.

MelbourneStreetFashion.com is our city’s fashion photography blog. It features a lot of young, skinny Melbournians, smoking cigarettes and hanging out in alleyways.

Personally, I think everyone looks like they’ve had a fit in an aisle at Savers.

While street fashion was meant to be about originality and style, our local site only seems interested in championing one look: skinny black jeans, brogues, oversized shirts and jackets, wayfarers and ‘vintage’ bags.

If any word is over-used on this site, it has to be ‘vintage.’ H

eaven forbid one of these twenty-somethings should buy a brand new piece of clothing.

They happily point to their hideous, oversized, Coogi jumper and proudly announce, “it’s vintage.”

Umm, actually I’m not sure it is. It’s from the 90s and I’m not sure they occurred far enough in the past to be considered vintage.

Everyone on this site seems to have forgotten that the late 80s and most of the 90s were actually a horrendous period in fashion.

I know these blogs are meant to celebrate individuality and creativity, but it’s not really unique when everyone is wearing the same thing is it?

You’re either an individual or your not. It makes me squirm to see someone who’s gone out of their way to look ‘individual.’

If it doesn’t come naturally, then chances are you’re going to look uncomfortable and pretty shit.

Whatever happened to just looking nice?

The overseas fashion blogs put Melbourne to shame.

The people there look stunning because they’ve invested in good quality clothing that is timeless, elegant and interesting.

I mean I understand that we are in the midst of a global economic meltdown, but in comparison with these other cities, it appears as if the people of Melbourne are too cheap to buy new clothes.

And you can call me old fashioned, but I simply can’t see the appeal in looking like you’ve just crawled out of a clothing bin.